


How I Fell For You

by Skydiver_Tomyo



Series: Like Adornments Upon Your Arms [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dorian personal quest, Flashback, Halward is a dick never forget never forgive, Last Restort of Good Men, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 04:29:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4005892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skydiver_Tomyo/pseuds/Skydiver_Tomyo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lavellan, Dorian and Cullen think back on how it began.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How I Fell For You

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly it's just a flashback and the title doesn't really fit the story ajjgajdkafsd
> 
> either way yeeh no porn this time lol  
> tbh I have very little over for Halward, the man is abusive, be it how he treated Dorian from childhood and up, or how he physically tried to change him... I usually make him stick around so Dorian becomes fully loyal to the Inquisition, but my male-Lavellan doesn't have that kind of patience...  
> Dorian doesn't deserve it either way, precious cinnamon bun that he is

Mahanon sighed happily, wriggling to get comfortable. Cullen hummed and smiled as Mahanon rested his head against his shoulder. Dorian chuckled, hand traveling up the elf’s side, warm and grounding.

“I think I’m the luckiest elf in the world…” the elf murmured, smiling.

“I quite agree,” Dorian replied, chuckling when Mahanon pouted and lazily slapped his thigh.

“I just mean… I don’t know how I ended up here, but I don’t mind.”

“How, as in how you got us both?” Dorian asked.

“Yes?”

“Ah, well, you know that, don’t you? I doubt our dear Commander does, however,” Dorian replied, shaking his head a little, hand stilling against Mahanon stomach. The elf frowned and sighed, giving a tiny smile when Cullen caressed his cheek, frown starting to make itself onto his face. The elf sighed again and looked away.

“You know, this is Dorian’s story to tell really…” he muttered. Cullen just nodded, smiling a little. His free hand was working fingers into Dorian’s hair, making the mage sigh contently.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” the commander told him, but Dorian just sighed.

“I’d have to sooner or later, besides, you should probably know…”

* * *

 

The tavern was surprisingly empty when Mahanon and Dorian entered. The Tevinter mage went first, walking in with confident steps. Said steps faltered when he noticed how empty it was.

“Uh-oh, nobody’s here. That doesn’t bode well,” he commented. Mahanon frowned.

“Dorian,” another voice joined in and the elf turned to see a man with facial similarities to Dorian. Mahanon saw how Dorian’s shoulders tensed before he turned.

“Father,” Dorian greeted, sounding a little more exhausted than angry really. “So the whole story about the ‘family retainer’, was just… what? A smoke screen?” he asked and the other man stepped further into the room, hands held together like he prayed. The man wore robes that was distinctively Tevinter.

“Then you were told,” Halward said. “I apologize for the deception, Inquisitor. I never intended for you to be involved,” the man added and Mahanon had to clench his fists from showing the annoyance that rose within him. Dorian turned to gaze at him before he turned back, glaring now.

“Of course not. Magister Pavus couldn’t come to Skyhold and be seen with the dread Inquisitor. What would people think?” he sneered at his father. “What is ‘this’ exactly, Father? Ambush? Kidnapping? Warm family reunion?!” Dorian asked, accusations clear in his angered voice. The Magister sighed heavily.

“This is how it has always been,” he said, like it explained everything, but it really didn’t.

“You went through all of this, intentions clear when tricking Dorian into meeting you here. Talk to him,” Mahanon urged, crossing his arms. Frankly, he didn’t feel the man deserved it, but he also felt he needed to at least give it a try.

“Yes, Father. Talk to me. Let me hear how mystified you are by my anger,” Dorian sneered.

“Dorian, there is no need to-”

“I prefer the company of men. My father disapproves,” Dorian cut him off, head turned just enough so he could glare in Mahanon’s direction. The elf frowned.

“I- could you perhaps explain… further?” Mahanon asked before he realized he’d opened his mouth. He regretted it a moment later because he knew this wasn’t for him to pry in, but he couldn’t quite kill the hope that burst within him when Dorian admitted that he prefered men. It meant that Mahanon might have something. Still, the regret was overwhelming when Dorian’s glare hardened.

“Did I stutter? Men, and the company thereof. As in sex. Surely you’ve heard of it.” Dorian snarled.

“I’ve… more than heard of it, actually,” Mahanon admitted slowly. Something shifted on Dorian’s face. A look of surprise, quickly masked, but the glare had softened where his voice had not.

“No! The Herald of Andraste? I am shocked and scandalized,” the man sneered, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Quite? With that sarcasm, it’s hard to tell,” Mahanon noted and Dorian scoffed.

“You’re not exactly subtle, oh Lord Inquisitor,” he replied, bitterly enough that Mahanon wondered if he shouldn’t have just shut up and never talked. Halward sighed.

“I should have known that’s what this is about,” the man said.

“No. You don’t get to make those assumptions. You know nothing about the Inquisitor,” Dorian replied defiantly, moving into a stance that was far more defensive than anything Mahanon had ever seen from him.

“This is not what I wanted,” Halward admitted.

“I’m never what you wanted, Father, or had you forgotten?” Dorian snapped.

“That’s what this is about? Who you choose to sleep with?” Mahanon asked.

“That’s not _all_ it’s about,” Dorian replied, voice lowered now, guarded. Halward moved his hands a little back and forth.

“Dorian, please, if you’ll only listen to me.”

“Why? So you can spout more convenient lies?” the younger Tevinter asked, stepping forward. “ _He_ told me to hate blood magic. “The resort of the weak mind.” Those are _his_ words.” Dorian pointed a finger at his father, voice dipping into betrayal and anger. “But what was the first thing you did with your precious heir refused to played pretend for the rest of his life? You-” his voice broke. “You tried to _change_ me.” Mahanon could see and hear the hurt, how painful it was for Dorian to even admit it. Fury was what Mahanon felt, rolling deep in his belly, growing, festering.

“I only wanted what was best for you,” Halward tried.

“You wanted what was best for _you_! For your fucking legacy! Anything for that!” Dorian snapped, turning to stalk towards the tables and Mahanon followed, standing close by his side as the mage tried to calm himself.

“Dorian, you don’t have to do this. Do you want to leave?” he asked and Dorian nodded mutely, eyes shut tightly. Mahanon made sure that Dorian walked first and cast an angered glance at Halward before he lead the man out. Anywhere away from his father was the best for him, that much Mahanon knew.

* * *

 

Mahanon found him in his usual nook in the library, except this time, Dorian was standing against the wall, looking out through the window. It seemed he knew of the elf’s arrival, because he barely glanced over his shoulder before he began talking.

“He is a good man, my Father. Deep down. He taught me principle is important. He cares for me, in his way, but he won’t ever change,” Dorian told him. “I can’t forgive him for what he did. I won’t.”

“He tried to change you? Using blood magic?” Mahanon asked, frowning as Dorian turned. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept. Knowing him as well as Mahanon did, that was the truth.

“Out of desperation. I wouldn’t put on a show, marry the girl, keep everything unsavory private and locked away.” He looked back out the window. “Selfish, I suppose. Not to want to spend my entire life screaming on the inside. He was going to do a blood ritual. Alter my mind. Make me… acceptable,” he said, glancing back at him. “I found out. I left.”

“Is that something blood magic even can do?” Mahanon asked.

“Maybe. It could also have left me a drooling vegetable. It crushed me to think he found that absurd risk preferable to scandal. Part of me has always hoped he didn’t really want to go through with it, if he had… I can’t imagine the person I would be now. I wouldn’t like that Dorian,” the mage replied, looking over at him, his entire form screaming hurt.

“Are you… alright?” Mahanon asked and Dorian stepped away from the window.

“No, not really.” Still, he stepped towards him. “Thank you for bringing me out there. It wasn’t what I expected, but… it was something. Maker knows what you must think of me now, after that whole display.”

“I don’t think less of you, I never could… I- I think more of you, if that’s even possible,” Mahanon admitted. Surprise flickered across Dorian’s face and pleasant disbelief settled in it’s place.

“The things you say,” he murmured, a smile appearing on his face.

“I mean it Dorian, you are a kind and good man. There is nothing that could make me think less of you,” Mahanon told him, tilting his head a little. But then Dorian stepped away again, sadness taking over again.

“My father never understood. Living a lie… it festers inside of you, like poison. You have to fight for what’s in your heart,” Dorian stated firmly. Mahanon smiled and nodded.

“I doubt there’s anything I can agree on more,” he agreed, stepping closer. Dorian too, did that and suddenly he was very, very close. Next thing, Dorian’s lips were on his and Mahanon eagerly pressed up against him, hands finding Dorian’s shoulders. All too soon however, Dorian pulled away, a playful smile on his lips.

“I see you like playing with fire, Inquisitor,” Dorian noted, amused and Mahanon grinned widely. He did enjoy playing with fire, but only when it when said fire was a fire mage with a ridiculous mustache.

* * *

 

“Cullen, you’re ripping the sheets,” Mahanon commented once Dorian had stopped talking. Cullen jerked and looked down, fingers releasing the sheets. The Tevinter looked past them, then chuckled.

“Why, are you angry, dear Commander?” Dorian asked as he sat up, feet crossed as he watched amusedly. Cullen raised an eyebrow.

“For you? Yes. Who wouldn’t be?” he asked back and surprise flickered across his face before he nodded, without saying anything else. “Your father is a bastard,” he added and Dorian gave a startled laugh, shoulders shaking as he shook his head. Mahanon grinned at Cullen, who smiled back at him.

“Well then, since we’re on that, you should talk too, little elf,” Dorian said, heaving for breath. Mahanon flushed and pouted.

“I’ve crushed on you since I walked through the doors in that damn Chantry, vhenan.”

“I am not surprised, amatus, but I meant about the Commander,” Dorian replied, smirking widely. Mahanon’s blush darkened and Cullen spluttered.

“I- er…” Mahanon mumbled, then looked down, fidgeting.

“Let me guess, from the moment you first met him?” Dorian asked.

“Actually… no,” the elf muttered and Dorian raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, do tell? Was it when Haven was attacked and Cullen so heroically raised his sword, readying for a fight in that delightfully thick armor?” Dorian inquired and Cullen spluttered, cheeks darkening in a flush. Mahanon squaked, but groaned and slumped against the mage, who chuckled and wrapped an arm around the elf.

“Um… it was when… we talked properly after the first meeting…” he admitted and Cullen’s eyebrows rose, surprise, as if remembering something. Dorian smirked at him.

“How did that become… us?” Cullen asked, moving out to run a hand up and down the elf’s back.

“Good question, we talked about it. Okay, it wasn’t like that, we fucked, I found he had a new interest and we worked on it. Can’t say it was something we planned, but it worked out didn’t it?” Dorian inquired, amused and Mahanon groaned, shaking his head.

“I think I remember that… time,” the commander admitted.

“I think everyone in Skyhold does,” Dorian replied evenly, eyes alight with laughter.

“You are insufferable,” Mahanon muttered, softly nipping at Dorian’s chest to make him shut up. It didn’t. Dorian just laughed and leaned down.

“Then I’ve got a question for you, amatus,” he said.

“Hm?”

“What does vhenanen mean?” Dorian asked and Mahanon stilled, then moved to look at him.

“Vhenanen? Er…” he looked away, face dark with a blush.

“Don’t tell me it’s something dirty,” Dorian wondered, smirking.

“No, I- it’s plural of… vhenan,” the elf murmured, cheeks heating up further.

“Which means?” Dorian pressed. The elven mage murmured something, far too low for either of the to catch it, so the Tevinter pressed his fingers into Lavellan’s ribs, making him squeak.

“Unfair! Don’t- Dori-” Cullen raised an eyebrow as he watched amusedly.

“Come now, amatus, you can tell us,” Dorian teased as Mahanon gasped for air, writhing against the mage’s fingers.

“Dori- Creators, stop- I’ll- I’ll say it,” he called quickly and Dorian pulled his hand away, leaving the elf to gather his wits about, like his breath.

“We’re waiting,” Dorian exclaimed when Mahanon used a bit more than a moment more for silence.

“Argh, you insufferable- fine! It- it means heart, okay?” he groaned and slumped forward, rubbing a hand against his red face. Dorian stilled and blinked as Cullen’s hand, which had been moving up and down the elf’s back, stilled. When Mahanon started to fret about the silence, Dorian leaned forward to plant a kiss on the elf’s cheek.

“Don’t fret, but let me tell you a secret. Amatus means the same thing,” he murmured afterward and Mahanon straightened to look at Dorian, who raised an eyebrow at him, a soft smile present as he watched him. Then the elf tackled him, bringing him down. Dorian gave a surprised laugh, thumping against the bed, his arms moving around Mahanon, who laughed heartily.

“Don’t leave me hanging now,” Cullen teased and Mahanon turned his head, moving a hand out to grasp Cullen’s one. The commander smiled then, bringing the hand up to kiss it. Lavellan flushed, then grinned widely.

“I’m happy here,” he clarified.

“Good, so are we.”

**Author's Note:**

> next one is heady, smutty porn so yeah, some calm between the storms


End file.
